The growing number of devices and data has given rise to cloud computing services. Over the years it has become one of the greatest of technologies being implemented in organisations for enhanced storage and data transaction. Cloud computing uses the concept of virtualization where an application or a program is accessed through a server rather being installed on a personal computer, laptop or tablet. This makes the application available to multiple users at the same time. Organisations have taken cognizance of the fact that data in today’s world needs to be accessed quickly by several users at the same time. Also the emergence of mobile cloud computing applications has led to reduction in workforce that was earlier responsible for transaction of complicated data across the globe.

Cloud services have brought benefits of location independency, shared servers services, on demand and virtualization as well as utility computing. There is no denying the fact that there have been security and stability issues along with data transfer bottlenecks and performance unpredictability, but with gradual advancement of the cloud all these issues are slowly phasing out.

There are three categorizations of cloud computing services namely, Cloud Service as a Software(SaaS), Cloud Service as a Platform(PaaS) and Cloud Service as an Infrastructure(IaaS). SaaS (Software as a service) is responsible for carrying out business processes, collaboration, industry applications, ERP/CRM/HR. On the other hand, Paas (Platform as a service) controls middleware, web 2.0 application runtime, database, development tooling and java runtime. IaaS ( Infrastructure as a service ) caters to servers, networking, data centric fabric, storage and shared virtualized dynamic provisioning.

As the cloud services are getting diversified while widening its core dimensions, the bridge between IaaS and Paas is gradually fading. State-of-the-art solutions for backup, restore and data input were already delivered via infrastructure as a service but as the vendors are broadening their outlook, more PaaS-like services are being added to the IaaS portfolio. PaaS offers developers the flexibility to code as per business requirements while rest of the packaging, cataloging and deployments is handled by PaaS. Also moving cloud computing applications in Paas from one Iaas to another may not be easy. Iaas is being broadened in every aspect whether it is building mobile gaming applications or offering marketplace capabilities. The aim today is not the compiler, but the cloud, and the anticipated result is not binary, but packaging.

With the emergence of smart devices like smartphones, tablets and wearables, the growth in user data has been immense. There has been a lot of enthusiasm over Google Glass as studies show 47 percent of google glass users felt more intelligent while 61 percent of them felt more informed. The reason behind it is round the clock connectivity with data via cloud. Cloud has not just offered a storage medium to organisations but has also improved the personal efficiency of users as more and more people today rely on handheld or wearable devices for accessing their data.

PaaS offers a midway between Iaas and Saas, as the abstraction mediums in hiding all irrelvant system complications come from the end users. IaaS is not being replicated with Paas like capabilities but is being consolidated with IaaS functionality as per the consumer requirements. In times to come, Paas will gradually merge unto Iaas resulting in better data management and accession.

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Jimmy Parker is a mobility consultant working with Mobile Programming LLC since 2003. He did B.A honors and MBA Marketing from NYU Stern School of Business, New York. He has a good ethics of e-marketing and mobility solutions.